Knowledge Base

Dog Will Not Obey Commands

So your dog doesn’t listen or obey commands? This is very common. To get your dog to obey you must first understand the reason why a dog doesn't obey.

There are a few easy answers:

One, is that the dog may be deaf.

Two, is that the dog may not understand exactly what you want from him, because you never formally taught the meanings of the commands.

The third, is that the owner is not in the proper position of authority for the dog to naturally follow their lead. Dogs have a strict and predictable culture. It is against their instinct to follow an individual that does not have the position of leadership in a way that they understand.

A fourth reason, even if you do have the leadership position, is that the dog just doesn’t have motivation to listen. What is the dog’s reason for listening? What is good about listening? What is bad about not listening? Sometimes the answers to your dog problems are simpler than you think.

If you are having this problem it is highly recommended that you read through the full self help section of this site, through the Foundation Style Dog Training pyramid, and work your way up to the obedience section. In this way you can learn how to to get the most scientifically reliable obedience possible.